Deputy Director and Senior Program Evaluator

 

Dr. Bakken brings over 40 years experience in education to her position as Wexford Institute's Deputy Director. Her areas of focus include organizational planning, family involvement, and supporting parents and educators of children on the autism spectrum as a member of the Wexford Investigating Autism development team. She also applies her expertise and experience in facilitating multi-organizational collaboratives for strategic planning.

 

Dr. Bakken joined Wexford in 2009 following 29 years with the Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE), the largest intermediate agency in the country. While at LACOE, she held numerous leadership and administrative positions, most recently as the assistant director of the Division for School Improvement and, for 10 years, as assistant director of the Southern California Comprehensive Assistance Center. During her tenure at LACOE, Dr. Bakken authored, coordinated, and provided technical assistance on over 50 grants and contracts securing $70+ million from federal, state, private foundation, and corporate sources.  

 

Dr. Bakken received her Bachelor of Arts degree and Master of Arts degree in Special Education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and her Doctorate degree in Educational Administration from the United States International University where she earned the award for Outstanding Dissertation. She has served as an Advisor to the California State PTA Parent Involvement Commission since 1994 and has been a member of the California Committee of Practitioners and its Neglected and Delinquent Subcommittee and chaired the Southern California Family Involvement Network, the California Family Area Network and the Los Angeles County Family Involvement Network.